Melody
by shumchele
Summary: Mike's a father and he knows his life's changed forever, he just doesn't realize how great it can possibly be. / [Cherry eventual.] / Puckleberry, Pezberry friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Melody. **  
Chapter:** 1/?  
 **Pairing:** Eventual Cherry.  
 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee, any of the characters. However, I have made the characters my own so will be slightly AU from the show.

* * *

"Noah!"

Puck curses under his breath and stops, turning to where the voice had come from. He smiles at her, but he knows she's going to try and get an answer from him, so he mentally prepares himself. "Hey, Princess."

She glares at him as she comes to a stop just infront of him. "Do not princess me!" She crosses her arms and looks up at him. "Where have you and Mike been?"

"What do you mean?" He asks, raising his eyebrow for a slightly better effect.

She rolls her eyes at him, "I haven't seen either of you for the past two weeks. Matt hasn't either." She lets her arms drop to her side. "Where is Mike today, it's the first day of Senior year and San said he didn't answer when she went to pick him up today."

Puck wants to tell her everything, because he knows just how much Rachel cares for the tall Asian dancer, she's confided in him a few times, but it isn't his news to tell and he's made a promise to Mike. "He's got a bug."

She glares at him again, "I know you're lying to me, Puck."

Damn, now he knows she's angry, but still, a promise is a promise. "Rach, he has a bug. As for the past two weeks, I've been babysitting whilst my mum picked overtime up and Mike's just been busy."

"Maybe I should take him some soup…" Rachel starts musing quietly and Puck shakes his head.

"Rach, he's ill. He's hardly going to let you in to watch him throw up, is he?" Puck rolls his eyes and steps forward to hug her. "Look, why don't we all, minus Mike head to Taco Bell tonight?" He asks and he can't help but smile as she smiles widely at him.

"I'd like that." She nods and Puck hugs her again, a little tighter this time before he steps away and catches sight of the time.

"I've got to go Rach, if I'm late, I'm going to get detention again." He begins to walk off, only to be stopped again by her voice.

"If you speak to Mike, could you at least ask him too message me back, so you know, I know he isn't dead or you know, hates me."

Puck turns to her and nods. "Rach, he 100% doesn't hate you. I promise."

 **[+]**

Another week passes before Mike returns to school and although he did message Rachel back a few times, it's still nowhere near to how much they communicated last school year and Rachel watches how easy he falls back into friendships with everyone, but her. She begins to panic, because she can't remember upsetting him and she's really starting to miss him. They're sat together in Maths and she turns to look at him as his breathing changes, smiling at how he barely has his eyes open. Although she's worried, because she's never seen Mike exhausted, even on his bad days, he'd always manage to find energy from somewhere.

She nudges him lightly as she notices the teacher begin to look their way and his eyes open although he doesn't move. As the teacher walks past them, he mouths a thank you and she smiles at him, turning back to her work. She holds back a laugh as she feels his chin rest on her shoulder and she knows he's copying her answers, something he does when he really hasn't been paying attention. As she turns her head to look at him, he grins back at her, squeezing her arm lightly.

 **[+]**

She finds out that Mike has been picking up any extra shift he can get at the restaurant he works at and that's why he can barely keep his eyes open at lunchtime.

"You're overworking yourself." She says in a quiet voice as she nudges him again before he ends up asleep in his lunch.

He rubs his face and sits up a little. "I need the money." Is all that she gets and she doesn't have chance to question it anymore as the bell rings again.

 **[+]**

It's by chance that she bumps into him one Saturday morning as she takes a walk around the neighbourhood, needing the fresh air. She stops, confused as she spots him, because he's pushing a pram and she didn't know that he had a new baby cousin or sibling. He stops as he spots her and quickly looks between her and the pram.

"Hey, Mike." She smiles and she walks towards him, stopping as she reaches him. She peeks into the pram and can't help but make a small sound of happiness. "Who's this?"

"Melody." He answers her straight away, before managing a smile back at her. He knows the question is coming and he knows he needs to tell her, like Puck has been telling him too for the past five weeks.

"She's tiny. How old is she?" Rachel asks and she can't help but coo once again.

"Five weeks." He answers easily and he's still waiting for the question that he isn't certain on how to answer. "I'm sorry I haven't been a very good friend the past few weeks."

She smiles softly at him. "Stop apologising. I just miss you." She reaches out to quickly touch his arm, before she retreats it. "I didn't know you were expecting a new sibling to your family."

He swallows thickly and looks down. "I wasn't. She isn't…" He stops as he tries to think on what he can say. "Melody isn't my sibling."

Rachel raises her eyebrow confused. "Oh." She tries to piece the puzzle together, but she's unsure on what they are. "Your cousin?"

He shakes his head. "She's mine."

Rachel feels her heart stop for a few seconds as she takes in this new information. As far as she was concerned, Mike wasn't in a relationship. "I… uh…"

He sighs and reaches for her arm lightly. "I'll explain." He promises. "Just not here."

She nods and begins to follow him, realising just how much Melody looks like Mike know she takes more notice of her features.

 **[+]**

Rachel looks around confused as they walk into a small studio apartment. She goes to ask why they are here, but he cuts her off.

"My Mum and Dad kicked me out." He stated as he moved Melody from her pram to her bouncing chair. "I had to find somewhere for us and this was the first place I found that was within what I could afford each month." He heads towards the kitchen and motions to the fridge. "Drink?"

She nods her head, knowing he'll pick what she likes without having to tell him. "Is that why you're so exhausted all the time, the extra shifts and the sleepless nights?"

He laughs quietly as he passes Rachel her drink and begins to make Melody a bottle, ready for when the small girl wakes up. "Actually, she's really good through the night, only wakes twice."

Rachel waits for him to finish and follows him to the small sofa she recognizes from his games room at home. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He sighs a little and avoids eye contact with her. "I was scared you'd be disappointed in me. I can handle everyone else, Rach, but I really didn't want you to be."

She reaches her arm to him again and this time doesn't move it away. "Why would I be disappointed?" She takes a breath and looks over to Melody. "Confused maybe, but not disappointed."

The hand on his arm calms him a little and he sighs before looking up at her for a second. "Last Christmas, I went out with Puck, let him talk me into getting blind drunk and I had a one night stand." He gets straight to the point, "I'm not proud of it, at all."

She nods, because she isn't sure what to say back to him. She's never seen Mike as the kind of guy to have a one night stand but she also knows how convincing Noah can be to try and get someone to drink. "You didn't say anything about Melody." It's not a dig, she's just curious on how he kept it a secret.

"I didn't know about her." He answers. "Her mother contacted me six weeks ago, a week before Melody was born to inform me of everything and then told me that if I didn't want her, she would be giving her up for adoption."

She squeezes his arm as he talks and notices how he leans into her slightly.

"Obviously my parents wanted me to agree to her being put up for adoption, but no way could I agree to that. I knew the decision would probably change my life, but I couldn't do it Rach…" He trailed off.

Placing her head against his shoulder, she ran her hand down to his hand gripping it lightly. "I think you're very brave, I'm anything but disappointed in you." She takes a breath before she speaks again. "You're going to be an amazing Dad, I mean you're already exhausting yourself doing anything you can to provide for her."

He smiles and rests his head against hers, closing his eyes for a moment. "Thanks Rach. You honestly don't understand how much relief I feel now you know. I really didn't want my best friend disappointed with me."

They sit in silence for a few moments, Mike feeling relaxed for the first time in a while until Melody begins to cry out. He stands to pick her up, smiling gratefully as he sits back down with Melody and Rachel passes him the bottle.

"I'm here Mike, even if it's just to watch Melody whilst you catch up on sleep, anytime." She smiles and Mike nods, knowing she will be.


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

True to her word, Rachel steps in a few times to let Mike catch up on sleep and she can see how much better Mike seems for it. She finds out that Puck's mum watches Melody whenever she can when Mike's working and Rachel's glad that he doesn't have to worry about that too. It's a month later when Melody hits ten weeks that Puck's mum insists that Mike has an evening with his friends, like a normal 18 year old.

"She will be fine, Mike," She smiles at him as Mike once again frets about something. "I will call you if she needs you and you have my number to call me."

Mike nods as Puck grabs his arm to stop him moving.

"She'll be fine and we'll be back in a few hours."

"I know." Mike answers. "It just feels a little strange."

Puck grins two hours later as he looks over at Mike, who is laughing at Rachel. Rachel has her head buried against Mike's arm, watching the film that is on. He's glad Mike is enjoying some time for himself, he deserves it.

 **[+]**

Rachel finds herself spending most evenings at Mike's apartment and she finds herself not minding. With both her Dad's away on business trips again, it's a welcome change from being home alone or not. She makes sure Mike's okay with it, she doesn't want him to feel like she's intruding.

His answer is a smile and a squeeze to the arm. "Rach, I love having you here, I'm not sure how I'd be coping."

One evening, Mike finishes work at 7 and Rachel, Puck and Matt had been sat eating at the diner, chatting to Mike whenever they can, helping him get through the shift. He makes his excuses after staying for one quick milkshake with everyone and he grins when he takes Rachel's hand under the table and she nods. He doesn't even need to ask. They say their goodbyes and he pulls her up gently, waving to their friends as they head for his car.

"Why aren't they together yet?" Matt muses as he watches them leave.

Puck rolls his eyes, "I say we give them till Christmas before we give them a friendly push in the right direction."

 **[+]**

After picking Melody up, they head back towards Mike's place. Melody's settled once they get there and Rachel pushes Mike towards the bathroom and he gets the hint that she's happy to hold the fort whilst he showers. Rachel quickly fixes something together for him to eat, because she knows he'll claim he's too tired to bother once he comes out of the shower and dishes it up just as he steps out again.

"Thanks, Rach," He smiles as he heads towards her. "You really don't need to do that."

"I do." She answers and smiles back at him as he pulls her into a small hug. "Otherwise you won't eat."

He goes to answer, but there's a cry from the other side of the apartment and before he can react, Rachel places a hand against his arm.

"You eat and I'll see to Melody," She looks up at him to make sure it's okay. "That's if you don't mind obviously. I don't want you to feel like I'm taking over."

He shakes his head lightly, "I'd like that. It'd be nice to eat a meal in one go and Rach?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not taking over."

She smiles at him before crossing the apartment to where Melody is in her crib, picking her up, she wraps her snugly in the blanket and begins to make soothing noises watching as the little girls eyes begin to close again. She glances over at Mike and he smiles back from where he's been watching her, eating the food she'd made him. She glances back down at Melody, realising she's asleep and gently places her back into the crib. Making sure the little girl is snug and comfortable, she heads back towards where Mike is sat on a kitchen stool.

"Thank you," He whispers, "For helping with Melody and for making sure I'm fed."

She laughs a little and takes a seat next to him. "Anytime," glancing up at the clock, she sighs a little. "I should get going soon, before it gets too dark."

He swallows his last mouthful of food and turns to her, "Stay here, I mean you don't have to, but it's starting to get dark already and I don't want you heading out on your own."

She thinks about it for a few seconds, knowing she want her answer to be yes straight away, but she also doesn't know exactly where she stands with him right now and she doesn't want to make things awkward. Her heart wins over her head and she nods, "I don't have any spare clothes."

"I'm sure I have something you can wear." His answer is simple and she smiles and nods.

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

He takes her hand and stands up pulling her with him. "Rach, if I minded I wouldn't be asking."

They find a t-shirt and some sweats of his that aren't too baggy on her and she changes in the bathroom, folding her own clothes neatly. She notices his smirk as she emerges in his clothes, but pretends she hasn't and looks towards the sofa.

"Do you have a spare blanket?" She asks.

He shakes his head and motions towards his bed, "There is plenty of room here though. I mean only if you feel comfortable enough." He already knows her answer will be yes, they've shared a bed before, plenty of times when they've stayed at other Glee members houses. He knows he should probably try not to be as obvious as he is, because of course, he wouldn't have a chance now, not that he had an added human in his equation now, but he can't help it.

She smiles at him and heads towards the bed, settling herself under the duvet as he turns all the lights off minus his bedside lamp. "As long as you don't steal all the blanket, then I'll be comfortable."

He laughs as he climbs in too, making himself comfortable. "I can't promise that." He reaches for his phone as it pings and silences it quickly, not wanting to disturb Melody again. Opening the message he rolls his eyes realising its another cat video that Matt has sent him. He hears a giggle next to him and turns to look at Rachel, who is looking at him and his phone, still laughing quietly.

They end up spending the next hour watching funny videos before Melody awakes again, this time Mike knowing it's because she's hungry. Rachel is up before he can react and heads to make the bottle as Mike sits up and reaches over to Melody, wrapping her in his arms and sitting back against the heard board. He thanks Rachel as she passes him the bottle and settles back beside him.

"Is Santana picking you up in the morning?" Rachel asks and Mike nods.

"Yeah, Puck's mom is heading over here in the morning to watch Melody as there's some work going on in the house next to her. I don't have work either so saves my petrol." He laughs lightly. "Is she supposed to be picking you up?"

Rachel nods and takes her own phone out, "I best ask her to bring some clothes over too. I do not want to turn up in the same clothes two days in a row." She taps a quick text out and gets one back with a simple, "Wanky." She knows that's Santana's yes answer.

"Do you really trust Santana to dress you tomorrow?" He laughs as he pats Melody's back lightly.

"No, I'm actually terrified at the thought of what she's going to bring." She pulls a face, before laughing as Melody lets out a loud noise. "She is one hundred percent like you."

"Hey!" He jabs her side lightly. He notices how Melody is already falling back to sleep and knows how lucky he is that she's such a good sleeper. He places her back into the crib, checking she's okay before he lays back down, turning the lamp off noticing Rachel already lay comfortable too. "Goodnight Rach."

"Night," She mumbles back.


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

Melody hits 14 weeks and Mike and Rachel's arrangement stays pretty much the same, except that if Mike is working late, Rachel will have Melody at his apartment until he comes home, giving Puck's mum her evenings back, not that she ever minded.

"So, you and Rach, are you ever going to admit it?" Puck asks, sipping the milkshake Mike has just handed to him.

"We're friends." Mike replies. "Even if I wanted more, she wouldn't."

"You do want more." Puck points out. "How do you know she wouldn't?" He rolls his eyes at his best friend. "She spends most of her week sleeping over at yours, she looks after Melody for you without you even needing to ask, the two of you act like a damn couple, bar the kissing and I mean, I wouldn't put that past you when you're both alone."

Mike glares at him. "She's not going to want to be tied down when college comes around is she?"

"I think you're not giving her enough credit."

Mike wanders away to clean a table that has just been vacated, thinking over what Puck has just said. He knows his friend is right, they pretty much act like a couple and she's been obvious about the fact a relationship with him wouldn't be off the cards, but he can't shake the feeling that he'd be ruining her life by asking her to accept Melody too, not just him.

 **[+]**

Rachel frowns as she heads home after school one Friday and notices a note on her bed, a rose lay next to it. She'd expected to be looking after Melody this evening, it being Mike's night to work, but he'd told her that he had swapped and it was fine. She'd been a little miffed that he hadn't invited her around, but guessed he just wanted a quiet night with him and Melody, now she knows she was wrong.

 _Meet me in your tree house._

There isn't a time and she knows Mike is probably already there, but she decides to change anyway, slipping into a pair of jeans and a tank top, her jacket being pulled over the top.

She slowly heads out, closing the patio doors behind her. Climbing the ladder, she smiles as Mike comes into view, sat on the cushions, a picnic laid out in front of him.

"Hey."

He grins back as she sits next to him. "Hey."

"You got me." She laughed a little before turning to him. "What's all this for?"

"To say thank you, for looking after me and looking after Melody." He answered honestly. "I honestly don't know where I would be some days without your help."

She reaches out to squeeze his hand gently. "Mike, you don't have to thank me."

He shakes his head. "I wanted to apologise too."

She raises her eyebrow at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

"For not being man enough to face my feelings and for leaving you in limbo," He adds, before taking a deep breath. "I like you Rach, hell, more than like you, have done for a good year and a half, but I've been to scared to say anything and then Melody happened and I became terrified. I can see now, or at least I hope I can and I'm not reading this wrong, that you somewhat feel the same as me and I need to just be a man."

She smirks at him, "I do feel the same."

He smiles back, before looking down. "I just, I come with baggage now, cute baggage and I understand…"

She cuts him off by leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips. "Cute baggage is 100% fine with me."

They spend the rest of the evening eating the picnic he'd prepared, before laying in the hammock in her garden star gazing. She doesn't even think twice about heading back to his with him, to let Puck and Matt off their baby sitting duties. Mike had trusted his friends whole heartedly to look after her, even if they'd been terrified. He realises as they climb into bed, after settling Melody for hopefully the last time that night, that Puck was right they pretty much had been acting like a couple minus the kissing and he mentally smacks himself for the time wasted.

* * *

 _Very short, I apologise. Struggling to decide whether to make this a four shot or chapter it out and keep going._


End file.
